Canada are into the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup despite not having star man Alphonso Davies available for their opening three games. However, the Bayern Munich left back finally made his return to the team as a late substitute in the last 32 victory over South Africa. <\/p>\n
Davies has been dealing with a hamstring injury since May, which caused him to miss Canada\u2019s opening World Cup draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/a>. He was an unused substitute in the 6-0 win over Qatar<\/a> and again the 2-1 defeat to against Switzerland last Wednesday.<\/p>\n \u201cThe good news is he\u2019s looking great,\u201d Marsch said before the final group game. \u201cHe\u2019s in training, he looks great, he looks fit, he looks ready to go, excited. So, let\u2019s see how things go, but I expect him to play.\u201d<\/p>\n In the end, he did not play a single minute.<\/p>\n Davies did, however, get on for the last 15 minutes of Sunday\u2019s round of 32 game against South Africa, helping Les Rouges to a late 1-0 victory. <\/p>\n Canada star Alphonso Davies checks in for the first time at the 2026 World Cup \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6<\/p>\n Davies missed all three Group Stage matches with a hamstring injury. pic.twitter.com\/mZDIaMuJmh<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) June 28, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Canada\u2019s left-sided options in Davies\u2019 absence<\/p>\n In Davies\u2019 absence, Richie Laryea has started at left back in both of Canada\u2019s games so far, with Liam Millar and then Ali Ahmed ahead of him.<\/p>\n Due to various fitness issues, Davies had not played for Canada since March 2025 before his substitute appearance against South Africa.<\/p>\n Related stories<\/p>\n Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage<\/a>, right at your fingertips \u2013 anytime, anywhere.<\/p>\n And there\u2019s more: check out our TikTok<\/a> and Instagram reels<\/a> for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.<\/p>\n